A spectator was ejected from the US Open after German tennis player Alexander Zverev reported that someone in the stands shouted a “Hitler quote”.
The incident occurred as Zverev played the fourth set of his round of 16 fight against Italy’s Jannik Sinner on Flushing Meadows Center Court on Monday night.
Zverev, who was the winner of the match, went to chairman James Keovathong to complain about the alleged scream. “He just said the most famous phrase of Hitler that exists in this world,” the tennis player told the referee. “This is unbelievable,” he added.
Zverev stops the game to tell the referee that someone at the US Open yelled Heil Hitler.
“He said the most famous Hitler phrase in this world? This is unacceptable!” pic.twitter.com/8FotCuViIQ
– #BlueWave2024️ (@LeslieAMaddox) September 5, 2023
Keothavong immediately consulted security agents in the stands to identify the person responsible.
After a few minutes, the guards approached a man sitting in one of the front rows and demanded that he leave the stadium.
“I love when the fans scream, I love when the fans get emotional, but I think as a German and not really proud of history it’s not really a good thing to do,” Zverev told the press about the incident. “If I don’t respond, I think it’s bad of me,” the tennis player added.
Security was looking for a fan who shouted during the match between Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev.
Zverev said he shouted “the most famous Hitler phrase.”
Security searched for the person for at least ten minutes.
They escorted a fan out and the crowd cheered as they left. pic.twitter.com/QDClUPqPwu
– The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 5, 2023
The night games court Arthur Ashe, the largest in the world (23,000 seats), is known for their electric and boisterous atmosphere, which has also attracted criticism from players like Daniil Medvedev, who calls for silence at times like the service.
Last week, German player Laura Siegemund also protested the public’s behavior following her first-round defeat at the hands of American Coco Gauff, a favorite of the local supporters.
“They didn’t respect me, they didn’t respect the way I play, they didn’t respect the player I am, they didn’t respect good tennis,” Siegemund said in tears during the interview.
Source: DN
